Knit, Blog & Be Happy!

Rebecca Clow's Cargill Sweater is simply lovely. As I mentioned in the newsletter, I watched the @purlificknitter's progress on the sweater as she test knit the piece. Her first post was a simple photograph of the yoke and I was hooked.  The stitch pattern, color and yarn captivated me instantly.  I watched as Camay finished and modeled the sweater, waiting for its release.  Late last week Rebecca published the pattern. Koryn, Teri and I spent Saturday morning looking at yarn combinations and colors.  We chose Cashmere Treats Cashmere Merino Luxe as the base yarn and, depending on the color, either Rowan Kidsilk...

So many knitters are afraid to take on sweater knitting.  We often hear, "it is too difficult" while they sit working on their 15th pair of socks and, let's face it, there is nothing simple about turning a heel or the Kitchener stitch. Or "that is way too much knitting for me" as we wind the third skein of fingering weight yarn to make an enormous 1000-yard shawl. The final protest is "I have tried but they never fit well". I fully admit, that is a valid reason, indeed.  Like anything, the first (or third) try may not be perfect. So that sweater will...

Raise your needles if you're ready for chunky knits!  Arriving just in time for holiday knitting, this week's spotlight is one you'll want to wind right up. Introducing Shibui's latest yarn base, Murmur.  Like a small cloud of featherlight fluff, this bulky-weight yarn has a lovely airiness thanks to the chainette construction of its strand. Softly waving fibers of Superbaby Alpaca and Merino Wool are blown through, giving this yarn plenty of irresistible puff. Oh, so soft—we’re thinking of the coziest accessories to wear against our skin! Murmur is a Shibui’s first chunky yarn! It comes in a 50 gram, 65...

We had such a lovely day with Sarah Pedersen of Sea Change Fibers and Kacey Herlihy of Kacey Knits last weekend!  Sarah brought a collection of her amazing yarns, and Kacey, our favorite local designer showcased her designs, highlighting those knit in Sea Change Fibers.  Koryn said that each Monarch staff member couldn't resist going home with a new yummy project.  Such a great start to the fall season! Autumn officially begins on September 22, so let's continue celebrating a tad bit early with another trunk show, shall we? Blue Sky Fibers Trunk Show September 15th to October 14th We are so pleased to be...

I cannot begin to tell you how long I have been looking to bring Woolstok to the shelves at Monarch. I just never made the commitment and I do not know why.  Blue Sky Fibers had a booth at this summer's H+H and as I made my list of vendors to visit, they were on the top. I brought a bit home with me and knit a few swatches and, I can honestly say, I adore this yarn. We will be hosting a Woolstok trunk show from September 15th to October 14th It will feature cowls hats and sweaters.  If...